Carlsbad police release new details in killing of Texas teacher

CARLSBAD -- Additional details about the death of the young woman whose body was found on Potash Mines Road Tuesday reveal that she spent her last day of life with her accused murderer.

Emily Lambert, 30, was visiting Carlsbad for the weekend. According to the criminal complain Lambert spent the day with her boyfriend, 33-year-old Robert Earley, who has been charged with murder.

Earley told police the pair spent the day touring the area, visiting the Carlsbad Caverns and shared a meal in Roswell Saturday. Earley later filed a missing persons report stating that he had last seen her leaving a local bar at 11:30 p.m. that night.

Lambert, whose body was found Wednesday after a lengthy missing persons search, was a mother of two and elementary school teacher.

Emily Lambert

Earley, her boyfriend of several months, was arrested Wednesday and charged with her murder after confessing to Carlsbad Police Detectives that he had struck her until unconscious, drug her by a rope from his car and left her overnight in a remote area. He also confessed to returning later to check if she was dead.

Earley's version of events that night changed twice before he confessed to Lambert's murder. He first told police had no knowledge of Lambert after she left the Blue Cactus Bar Saturday night. According to the criminal complaint, Earley later told police he followed Lambert, who was in a truck with an unknown male, to the remote location where her body was found. He said he fled the spot after the unknown male threatened him.

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The body of Emily Lambert was found wearing only a bra, on private property along side a sheet metal barn on Highway 31.

Earley also led investigators to the spot where he had tossed Lambert's clothing and the rope he used to drag her.

He is being held in the Eddy County Detention Center on a $1 million bond. Earley will appear in Carlsbad magistrate court on March 19.

Reporter Jessica Onsurez may be reached at (575)491-4682.

Listen to the 911 call placed by accused killer Robert Earley to report Emily Lambert missing